I’ve mentioned before how my pre-COVID prayer life just doesn’t work for me in the midst of pandemic, and I’ve shared some ideas about different ways to pray when the old ways don’t work. I’m going to share another one today.
I generally am an optimist and someone who focuses on the good in the world. 2020 has been a challenge to my worldview. I have found myself compelled many times this year to go deep in prayer over tragedy, brokenness and evil in the world. I can feel unprepared and unprotected from this tragedy, brokenness and evil.
When I need to claim health, when I need to claim protection, when I need to claim my voice and power in fighting evil, I recite this ancient poem (sometimes I sing it). Sometimes daily, sometimes throughout the day. Sometimes the whole thing, sometimes just the stanza about Christ with me.
With each recitation, I feel a little stronger, I more fully embrace God-with-me, I am more equipped for what the world has become. I commend the practice to you:
I bind unto myself today
the strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.
I bind this day to me forever.
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spiced tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom;
I bind unto myself today.
I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of cherubim;
The sweet “well done” in judgement hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessor’s faith, Apostles’ word,
The Patriarchs’ prayers, the Prophets’ scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord,
And purity of newborn souls.
I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun’s life-giving ray,
The brightness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old eternal rocks.
I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
God’s eye to watch, God’s might to stay,
God’s ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
God’s hand to guide, God’s shield to ward,
The world of God to give me speech,
God’s heavenly host to be my guard.
Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.
Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, til Thy return.
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself today,
The strong Name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Parent, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
stlukesdurham.org 
Yes
Sent from my iPad
>
LikeLike